A Night to Remember
by Violetlight
Summary: 2000 years from her own time, Celes Chere is stuck in a strange new world, but to make matters worse, her relationship with Locke is falling apart, but she finds the understanding she needs from a very unexpected source. ff6/ff7 crossover


**Final Fantasy Rebirth: Colliding Worlds**

A Night to Remember

By Violetlight

Disclaimer: I don't any Final Fantasy game, or any of their characters. They're all the property of Square Enix. I'm just writing this for fun.

Author's Note: I wrote this in high school, as a part of a Final Fantasy series I never got around to finishing. My views on Final Fantasy have changed quite a bit since then, but I still think this story is worth posting. Despite its lack of detailed backstory, I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Celes Chere sighed as she gazed over the vast desert wilderness surrounding Cosmo Canyon. Ever since she and the other Returners had been transported to this timeline, over two thousand years in the future from her own, she just hadn't felt like herself. Locke had been really moody lately, and Celes knew it wasn't just their current mission that was bothering him. Sure, Kefka had been revived by his insane and monstrous daughter, Jenova, but strangely, that wasn't bothering Celes much now. Her biggest concern was Locke. He had been acting so strange, judging Celes for everything she did that he remotely didn't approve of. She had yelled at him, and that was why she was now staring out at the desert landscape, alone. She just wanted to forget what had happened:

"_What do you think you were doing, taking a risk like that?! You could have been killed!"_

"_I'm not the helpless little princess you would like to believe. I can take care of myself!"_

"_Rachel would have never done anything..."_

"_I'm NOT Rachel! I'm Celes! I'm so sick of hearing about Rachel!! SHE'S DEAD! GET OVER HER!!"_

"_Celes..."_

"_You're going to have to choose Locke. Is it me or her you want?"_

"_Celes...I..."_

"_Then take this..."_

She had tossed him the White Magicite, Life 50. Had given him the chance to bring his _true _love back to life, had set him free. _What have I done? _Celes thought sadly. Suddenly, she heard a sound behind her. Startled, she turned around, her Runic Blade ready.

"Forgive me. I thought no one else was here."

"Sephiroth! That's all right. You just startled me, that's all." Celes looked up into the face of the brave warrior who had recently been resurrected himself, along with Terra and Edgar's descendant, the "Ancient" called Aeris. From what she had learned from Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and the other members of AVALANCHE, this timeline's version of the Returners, Sephiroth had been completely controlled by Jenova, making him their enemy. Jenova's control over him was so great, that the usually honourable SOLDIER had been forced to do many terrible things, including killing Aeris. For the safety of the Planet, Cloud and the others had been forced to kill Sephiroth, but when he died, the Planet had refused to allow him and Aeris into the Lifestream. They had been resurrected instead, the Planet somehow knowing that they would be needed to help Aeris' friends.

"I sometimes come up here to be alone with my thoughts." Sephiroth said, looking down at Celes with piercing Mako-green eyes, which seemed to stare right through her. "Is that why you are here? Forgive me if I have disturbed you."

"It's alright Sephiroth. I was just … thinking. That's all."

"Shall I leave you to your thoughts?"

"No, please stay. It's just … well … I don't know why I'm telling you this, but Locke and I … we haven't been getting along. He treats me like this helpless little damsel he's supposed to protect all the time. I'm getting sick of it, I mean, I'M a better fighter and magic user than HE is! I used to be a general. I can take care of myself!" Celes flushed with anger, pain, and confusion, but talking to Sephiroth alone up on this ledge over Cosmo Canyon somehow helped to ease her mind.

Sephiroth gazed out over the landscape, a thoughtful look on his face. "You were a general in your own time?"

Surprised by his question, Celes answered, "yes, I was. I thought someone might have told you by now."

"People rarely bother to tell me anything, except for Aeris, but I hardly listen to that one's mindless chatter. Everyone else still sees me as the enemy."

"I know how you feel." Celes said, and looked down at the ground.

Interested, Sephiroth turned towards her. "How's that?"

"When I first met the others, I had been a general in their enemy's army. I was forced to do many terrible things when I was with the Empire, and for a long time after I joined the Returners, some of them still didn't trust me because of my past."

"My experience was similar." Sephiroth sighed. He looked over the desert angrily. "I've been used by people for my entire life. First my mother was taken away from me, then ShinRa forced me to become a SOLDIER, then, when I finally thought I might have found some order in my life … Jenova … she tricked me. She told me she was my mother and I believed her; I listened to that evil thing! I almost destroyed this Planet, I burned Nibelheim and other villages, and I took many innocent lives, including the Cetra's. I did whatever she willed me to do, simply because I believed she actually cared for me, that someone on this wretched world gave a damn that I existed. She used me. I couldn't stop myself from serving her … and I … I … they have every right to hate me." Sephiroth bent down in pain, his hand against his head. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the memories of the evil he committed.

Celes stood up and put her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Sephiroth …" she whispered. He looked up at her, shocked that she would help him. Celes continued. "When I served the Empire, when I was a Magitek Knight, there was a city in Imperial territory called Maranda, which refused to become part of the Empire. As my first mission as a General, I was ordered to overthrow the city and take it for the Empire. It … it was horrible. I had to order the Magitek soldiers to burn down a town … and kill all who opposed us. I had powered the machines before as a lower officer, but it had always been against other soldiers before, like the Tzen army. I never had to kill civilians. But in Maranda … their army had already been defeated in a battle with General Leo's ground forces. There was no need to send the Magitek Armor into Maranda, but Emperor Gestahl ordered it anyway. He said it was the only way to 'eliminate any resistance'. I was forced to turn my Fire Beams against houses, to kill innocent people who didn't ask for a war. Then, since I was the general in command, it was my responsibility to 'take care of" Maranda's royal family." Celes stopped, and stepped away from Sephiroth. She didn't want him to see the tears that threatened to burst forth from her eyes.

Sephiroth studied the beautiful and proud warrior, now with her back turned to him. He had had no idea that this hero from the past had such a sad story. _We're so similar, _he thought, then surprised at what he was thinking. _Can I … Do I have … feelings for her? Celes. Celestial Angel. No, she loves another …I can't … but I … _Slowly and unsure of himself, he came up behind Celes and gently wrapped his arms around her. She let out a small gasp of surprise, and Sephiroth almost let go, but then he felt her relax in his arms. Still in his embrace she spun around to face him, her ice blue eyes looking questioningly into his. "Celes … sometimes it helps to talk about things. Let me help you."

Disappointed, she sighed, and turned away from him. "So you just see me as a helpless twit too."

"No. I see you as a kindred soul, the only person I have encountered who could possibly understand what I have gone through. I think we'll both feel better if we can talk to each other. After all, who else would listen?"

A small smile crossed Celes' face. "Thank you," she whispered. She sat down on the granite ledge, facing into the desert as the sun set behind the mountains.

Sephiroth sat down beside her, to watch he dusk and listen to the rest of her story. "Please, go on. I'm listening."

Celes gazed at the dazzling, swirling colours filling the sky above her. The town of Cosmo Canyon was just as beautiful as its founders, Sabin Figaro and his girlfriend Lynx Leo, the daughter of her former comrade General Leo, had hoped it to be. She smiled at the thought of her two friends, who, in her time, had just began construction on this, the newest settlement of the Figaro Kingdom, a town tucked away in the mountains of the Veldt. Although the Veldt, Figaro, and almost all she could recognize from her own time had changed or disappeared in these millennia, she was glad that Cosmo Canyon had indeed become the place of beauty and wisdom that her friends had envisioned it to be. She looked up at Sephiroth, whose long, silvery hair that reminded her a little of Setzer's, reflected some of the brilliant colours of the impending twilight; who was admiring the sunset, appreciating its beauty just as much as she. _When was the last time Locke and I watched the dusk like this? _She mused, thinking of how many times he was just too busy to observe the wonders of nature like this. _You would think, after all we went through to save our world and all we will go through to save this new world, he might appreciate nature more… like Sephiroth does. Sephiroth… you're not the cold, hard warrior you make yourself out to be. _She studied his eyes, meeting his patient gaze. _He believes me… he trusts me…_Celes realized.

"Celes…?"

"Oh, right." Celes blinked out of her reverie. With a small sigh, she continued with her story. "As I turned my weapons towards the manor, which was already burning due to assaults on nearby buildings, I saw a young girl, no older than 10, emerge from one of the first-story windows. I saw she was dragging something behind her. As I moved my machine closer, I saw what it was, the nearly dead body of a woman who could only be the girl's mother. I saw the girl lean over her mother, begging her to get up, to get away from there, but she was too badly burned. I watched as she stopped twitching in pain, saw the look of relief spread across her face as she ceased to live … I … I couldn't do it. I knew my orders, to destroy the royal family of Maranda, and this girl was undoubtedly the Marandan Princess, but she had just lost her mother. I tried to aim my Ice Beam, I couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to kill a girl who had already lost so much at my hands, her home, and her family. Instead, I jumped down from my Magitek Armor. I gave the girl a bag of money and some supplies, and told her to head to Albrook. A ship going to Nikeah was leaving in a few days, and she would be safe from the Empire there. The girl took the gold and supplies and ran, as fast as she could. I watched her leave. She escaped from Maranda safely." Celes allowed herself a small smile. "I heard she returned to Maranda after the War."

"It sounds like you had a victory," Sephiroth reasoned. "What went wrong?"

"Someone saw what I did." Celes sighed. "A new Mage Knight, infused with Esper-drained magic, who was usually under Kefka's command, Major Ariana Morte. I had noticed her before. She was very jealous of my magic-using abilities, which were far superior to her own, and I later learned that she hated me because she believed I was the reason Kefka never … noticed her. Of course that was all in her head, but her hatred remained. She saw what I did, and reported it to her superior officer, Kefka, who told the Emperor of my 'treachery'. I was arrested for treason, and sent to South Figaro to be 'judged for my actions'. All because I couldn't bring myself to ruthlessly kill an innocent little girl. I'm just lucky Locke found me when he did, otherwise …" Celes could not hold back the tears this time.

"Celes." Sephiroth brought her into his embrace and let her cry, her hot, salty tears dripping down his shoulder armor, down his arm and down his chest. He tried to comfort her, holding her tenderly, as she released the emotions that had been bottled up inside her soul for so long. He wanted so much to be there for her, to help her. He could feel her pain and he wanted it to stop. If both his and her pain couldn't be ceased, he wanted to at least be there for her, forever more. _What is this feeling, why do I care so much for her? _Sephiroth questioned himself, a feeling of pure devotion flooding through him as he gazed wonderingly at the incredible woman in his arms. He suddenly realized what he felt. Love. _I love_ _you, Celes. I promise I will do everything in my power to make your life happy … even if … your happiness does not include me. _"Celes, I…"

"Sephiroth?"

"Celes… you're the most wonderful woman I have ever encountered. You're so brilliant, so unique, so … so noble. You did no wrong that day, the Empire did, and don't you ever doubt that. Don't ever doubt yourself. Locke is a fool if he can't see how privileged he is to have someone like you."

"You … you really mean it?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't. Look, I last saw Locke at the inn. Please, go to him. Make him remember just how lucky he is."

Celes gently pulled back from Sephiroth's arms, but her hands rested in his for a brief few seconds more. "Thank you Sephiroth, for everything," she smiled at him. She quickly gave him a little kiss on the cheek and then began to climb down the stairs.

"You're welcome." Sephiroth whispered after her. He lightly touched his cheek. _What have I done? _he thought sadly. He turned around and watched the last wisps of colour be overtaken by the descending night.

* * *

Celes quickly walked down the stairs, through rooms elegantly carved in the rock of the canyon walls, and down more stairs to the canyon floor. She passed quickly by the Cosmo Candle, the huge bonfire that was said to have been burning for a thousand years, and by some of her friends, who were gathered around the Candle. Terra was snuggled in her husband Edgar's arms, both of them occasionally letting out soft sighs of contentment and love. On the other side of the Candle, Cloud was holding his wife Tifa in much the same way. Neither couple noticed her. Celes abruptly turned away. The scene of the two happily married couples was too much for her to bear. _I remember when Locke used to hold me like that, _she thought to herself sadly. He hadn't really held her, hadn't told her that he loved her, in weeks, and she felt a sting of jealousy when she saw the happiness that Terra and Edgar, and Cloud and Tifa, possessed. _But Sephiroth…wasn't he just holding me like that, just as closely, just as if …we were together. _She quickly dismissed the thought. Sephiroth had merely wanted to comfort her, to be a friend. He hadn't wanted her, had he? _No, no. Sephiroth isn't like that. He isn't the type of man to help a woman just to have his way with her later. He's much too noble for behaviour like that. He just wanted to comfort me, that's all, _she strictly told herself. _Locke loves me. I know he does. He is who I __should__ be with, who I want to be with. _She ignored the pangs of doubt of Locke's love and the feelings for the silver-haired warrior rising inside her heart and stepped up to the lightly draped opening to the inn. She was about to step inside when she heard two familiar voices. She stealthily pulled back a small part of the drapes and peeked inside.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you or what?"

Locke was sitting at a table, fumbling with something in his hands. Celes looked closer and noticed a glint of white in the faint lighting of the inn. The White Magicite. He dropped it onto the table, startled by the sudden voice. The owner of the voice then slid out of the shadows and over to Locke's table. It was Aeris. _What does __she__ want? _Celes wondered. She considered Aeris a whiner and honestly didn't know how the wimp, Ancient or no Ancient, had been of any help to AVALANCHE at all during their first adventure. She had also heard from Tifa how Aeris used to chase after Cloud constantly before Sephiroth, in a Jenova-controlled rage of hatred, had plunged the Masamune through her heart. She, like he, was now resurrected for the battle awaiting the Returners and AVALANCHE but her main concern seemed to be finding a replacement for her lost "bodyguard". Celes had observed that Sephiroth and the mysterious Vincent Valentine had suffered the brunt of Aeris' attentions, but they had flatly ignored, or even threatened the relentless Cetra. Now, it seemed, she was targeting someone else.

Locke looked up, dropping the Magicite with a small clank onto the table. His gaze met the interested, if too happy look of the giddy Ancient. "Go away. You can't help me; no one can." He replied coldly. Locke picked up the Magicite and resumed turning it over and over again in his hands. _Why? _he asked himself. _Why doesn't she love me anymore? _Locke wondered, thinking of the battle earlier that day…

* * *

"Celes, LOOK OUT!" Locke shouted. The dark beam streaming from the Dragon's mouth was heading straight towards her!

"DIE HUMAN!" Tiamut screeched. AVALANCHE and the Returners had been spending the last few days looking for the "Guardian Forces" as the newly reborn Espers (or "Summons Monsters", as AVALANCHE called them) were now calling themselves, but Bahamut's evil rival was not who they had in mind. A beam of pure darkness streamed from the Dragon's mouth, threatening to wipe out the four warriors before her. "DARK FLARE!"

Locke prepared to push Celes out of the way, to do the "heroic" thing and save his love, but Celes shot him the coldest, darkest look Locke had ever seen from her. "Stay back," she ordered him, her voice like ice. She lifted her Runic Blade, the sword called Ragnarök, high above her head.

"Celes, no! You'll be killed!" Locke screamed again. He aimed his Wing Edge, planning to knock the dragon aside, to deflect the beam away from Celes, but his view of Celes was suddenly blocked by the Masamune.

"Don't." Sephirothsaid calmly. "Let her concentrate."

"But she'll be killed!" Locke protested.

"Do you really have such little regard for her abilities?" Sephiroth asked, steadily holding his katana in front of Locke. "After all you have been through together, don't you trust her?"

"Yeah, but…" Locke stuttered. He knew that Celes could handle herself, but he _wanted_ so much to be the hero, to save her, even if she didn't need saving. "Outta my way, Sephiroth!" he shouted.

"Don't make me use this." Sephiroth threatened, inching the Masamune closer to Locke's face.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Celes shouted. Locke could only watch helplessly as the beam streamed into her, smothering her with black light.

"No!" Locke shouted. He wanted to run over to her, to take the beam himself, but Sephiroth still held him back. "Let me go, or after the dragon, you're next!"

Sephiroth smirked at his remark. "Is that a threat, thief?" he almost laughed, knowing his own fighting techniques were far superior to Locke's, that he could slice the thief from the past into ribbons.

"THAT'S TREASURE HUNTER!" Locke shouted, and ducked quickly below the Masamune past a surprised Sephiroth and past Aeris, who was in the middle of casting a spell. He ran over to his beloved, but as he ran, the dark light started spiraling, forming a miniature tornado around Celes as her Runic Blade absorbed the magic energy. Locke reached her just as the last of the light spiraled into her sword. She starred at him coldly.

"Ultima!" Aeris then shouted, her spell complete. A dome of greenish light formed around the Ancient, spreading from the shining green Materia held in her Princess Guard staff, and hit the dark dragon with incredible force, as Ultima sweeps through all things evil, overcoming darkness with invigourating light.

Tiamut screamed as the wave hit her and she took heavy damage. Greatly weakened, the dragon flapped her black wings and took to the air. "Don't think you've won, humans. I'll be back!" she shrieked as she retreated.

When the Dragon was gone, Celes turned to look at Locke coldly. "Locke, what the hell did you think you were doing?! My Runic could have been ruined!"

Seeing that a fight was starting, Sephiroth sheathed the Masamune and began to walk away from the couple. "Come on Aeris."

"But Seph…" Aeris protested.

"Come on. They need their privacy," Sephiroth commanded without turning, not listening to her whine. The Cetra reluctantly nodded and followed Sephiroth away from Locke and Celes.

"What do you think you were doing, taking a risk like that?!" Locke retaliated. "You could have been killed!"

"I'm not the helpless little princess you would like to believe. I can take care of myself!" Celes snapped back.

_Can't she see I just wanted to protect her? _Locke wondered. He just couldn't understand that Celes didn't want to be saved from everything. _I promised to protect her; I'm not going to let her die…like I let…Rachel…_"Rachel would have never done anything..." he began.

The mention of her deceased rival's name just infuriated Celes even more. "I'm NOT Rachel! I'm Celes! I'm so sick of hearing about Rachel!! SHE'S DEAD! GET OVER HER!!" she screamed at him. It just frustrated her so much that Locke would constantly compare her to his dead fiancée.

"Celes..." Locke began. He didn't know what to say. He loved Celes so much, but he couldn't just forget Rachel, couldn't just forget the guilt he felt, the constant feeling that he let her down, that he could have done more for her.

"You're going to have to choose Locke. Is it me or her you want?" Celes continued. She wanted to be with Locke, but she couldn't stand the babying, the constant smothering of his over-protectiveness any longer. Either he was going to give her the respect she deserved, or she would have to leave.

"Celes…I…" again, Locke couldn't answer. He loved Celes, but he couldn't stop loving Rachel.

"Then take this..." she tossed Locke a piece of White Magicite and turning her back on him, started to walk away, past Sephiroth and Aeris towards the landing site where the Highwind, the AVALANCHE member Cid's airship, was supposed to pick them up to take them back to Cosmo Canyon. Sephiroth and Aeris soon followed her.

Locke just stood there, looking at the White Magicite in his hands. The engraved symbol of a white phoenix, its wings outstretched, revealed the magic's type; Life 50, the magic of resurrection. _She…she doesn't want me anymore. But why? _Locke questioned himself, turning the Magicite over and over again in his hands. _Why?_

* * *

"Locke? Locke? Planet to Locke, come in Locke." Aeris waved her hand in front of the daydreaming thief. "Look, I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong."

"What part of 'I don't want any help' don't you understand?" Locke growled. He tried to ignore the Cetra, but Aeris was persistent.

"I think, whether or not you _want_ help, you need it." Growing a little bolder, Aeris sat down in the chair next to Locke. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

Locke sighed, knowing that Aeris wouldn't leave him alone unless he told her something. He put the White Magicite into one of his many pockets and turned towards the Cetra. "I'm having a few problems with Celes, that's all. There's nothing that you can do about it, so please just leave me alone."

"Don't worry, I'm sure everything between you two will be alright." Aeris smiled, trying to cheer Locke up.

"I don't know about that."

"Is it about what happened during the battle with that mean dragon today?"

"Yeah…er, no. It's more complicated than that, I mean, what's it to you anyway?!"

"Sheesh, I'm only trying to help." Aeris sighed. She turned away from Locke and stood up to leave. "I thought she treated you a little unfairly today." She quietly said as she started walking away.

Locke looked up, his attention now on Aeris. "Wait, what was that?"

"I was just thinking that Celes treated you unfairly today. You were only trying to protect her. I couldn't see too much since I was concentrating on casting Ultima, but I know you just didn't want her to get hurt. I don't know why she and Sephy were making such a big deal out of it. I mean, you only wanted to help."

Locke thought about that. _Why __was__ she making such a big deal out of it? And why was that silver-haired showoff agreeing with her…?_

"I guess some women just don't appreciate heroic men like you…" Aeris continued.

"You're right about that," Locke agreed, absently toying with the Magicite in his pocket.

"Locke, were you hurt by someone in your past?"

Surprised, Locke looked up. "Why do you ask?"

"I can see it in your eyes. The pain of the loss, the feelings of helplessness, it's so familiar to me. Celes doesn't understand, does she?"

"No…she doesn't. She never has," Locke admitted. "Have you ever felt…that way?"

Aeris looked down at the floor. "Zack…" she whispered.

"What was that?"

"Zack," Aeris rose her head, and looked Locke straight in the eye. "My boyfriend. He died…a long time ago."

"Were you two…?"

"Uh huh. He had proposed to me the night before he went to Nibelheim. After that, I never saw him again…but once, I thought I had."

Locke was confused. "Do you mean there's a chance that he's still alive?"

"No. I know he's dead. It's just that Cloud was so similar to Zack when I first met him. He had the same attitude, the same walk, he even used the same sword. Except for his name, he thought that he was Zack, due to a horrible experiment that ShinRa had done to him and in a way, I thought he was Zack too. That's what Tifa and the others don't understand about me. I never really liked Cloud in a romantic way, it was the part of him that was Zack that I fell in love with."

"Aeris, I…I don't know what to say."

"You've probably heard exactly what Tifa thinks of me. I know, I've heard the names -- slut, whore, ho -- I've heard them all. She can't understand that I love Zack. I always will, no matter what. That's what it means to love someone. You can't just stop loving them because they died. And I fell in love with the part of Cloud that was Zack. Tifa doesn't have to be so cruel to me. I'm not trying to "take her man". I know that whatever part of Cloud that was Zack is dead now. He's been dead for a long time."

"Aeris," Locke took her hand into his. "I know exactly how you feel. I lost my fiancée, Rachel." Locke proceeded to tell Aeris all about how he and Rachel were a treasure hunter team, about Rachel's fall and subsequent amnesia, and of her death, when he wasn't there to protect her. Of the guilt he had been feeling for the rest of his life after she had gone. Aeris told him more about her relationship with Zack too, of how he had given her the first flowers to start her garden in Migar, how he was constantly taking her out and spending time with her, even with his busy SOLDIER schedule, he always found time for her. She loved her walks with him around Migar, and she fondly remembered the first time he had told her that he loved her. It was the night he had proposed, right before that fateful mission to Nibelheim. The whole time Aeris and Locke talked, Aeris' eyes never left his. She nodded here and there, listening to him, understanding him. Why had he never connected with Celes this way? Celes had never wanted to talk about Rachel. Locke supposed that she was jealous of Rachel, and now he was almost certain that this was true. But with Aeris, he saw no anger, no jealousy, only the understanding that you can't just stop loving a person just because they had died. Aeris, not Celes, understood him. Aeris, the beautiful brown haired, green-eyed Cetra girl in front of him; she understood what he had gone through.

"For a while," Locke continued. "I hung around with Edgar on his weekend trips to South Figaro, went to the bars, had a few drinks with the ladies, but nothing ever became serious. When I joined the Returners, I took it upon myself to look after the few female members, to protect them. I guess in a way, by protecting them I was trying to make up for not protecting Rachel. Terra, for example, and Relm, I think of them almost like little sisters. I think I knew before anyone else that Gogo was a woman, simply because of an instinct I had to protect her. Edgar and I were like this, you see. We could spot a woman a mile away through our instincts, mine to play the knight in shining armour, Edgar, well…let's just say that instinct hasn't shown up ever since he married Terra. I'm getting off topic, aren't I?"

Aeris shook her head. "No, please Locke, go on."

"Okay, anyways, I felt this same protective instinct towards Celes too, but for some reason, it was stronger with her than with the others, and after that night that she sung at the Opera, well, I was hooked. Her words in that song just struck me so hard:"

_Oh my Hero_

_So far away now_

_Will I ever see your smile?_

_Love goes away, like night into day_

_It's just a fading dream_

_I'm the Darkness, you're the stars_

_Our love shines brighter than the sun_

_For eternity, for me there shall be only you_

_My chosen One_

_Must I forget you_

_Our solemn promise?_

_Will Autumn take the place of Spring?_

_What shall I do? I'm lost without you._

_Speak to me once more!_

"I felt like she was singing directly to me; that she needed me to be there for her. But I was wrong. She was singing Maria's words; the words of a stupid song in a stupid opera. She never needed me to protect her; she never has and she never will. Sometimes I wonder if she ever loved me at all!"

"Locke, Locke…just because a relationship isn't perfect, that doesn't mean you should give up on love. Would Rachel want that?"

"No, she wouldn't. Her last words to me were that she wanted me to be free. That she wanted me to love again. But I don't feel free; I feel trapped."

"Just like I felt frustrated with Cloud."

"Exactly, and there goes Cloud and Tifa with the 'I dos' and my girlfriend has probably run off with pretty-boy Sephiroth and here we two suckers are sitting in a bar whining about our losses." Locke complained. He sighed, and then looked at Aeris again in a new light. She was a fragile little flower, just as confused and lost as he was. "Aeris, are people like us even meant to love?"

"Locke, one thing that I did learn from my death is that life isn't worth living if you don't love someone. Even the roughest, crudest person on the Planet can find someone to love. Look at Cid. He's rude, he's gruff and all around nasty at times, but he'd still sacrifice his dreams, even his life, to be with Sheera."

"I know, it's like how Setzer and Daryl never gave up the hope that they would find each other again, even after Daryl crashed on Triangle Island, even after all their years apart, she and Setzer somehow knew that they were both alive, that they would be together again."

"And how Barret fights for freedom so his daughter Marlene can grow up in a peaceful world."

"And how Clyde, Strago, and Relm have put their family back together."

"Locke, there has to be love in this world. That's the entire meaning of life."

Locke smiled. He felt so happy now, so sure of himself. And it was all because of Aeris, and her help, her understanding. Never had he and a woman communicated so well since he and Rachel. He had to ask her, he had to know. "Aeris? Is this understanding between people, is this love?"

"I…I think it is, Locke."

"I…I think so too." Locke stood up, and inched closer to Aeris. He gently rubbed the side of her face, and softly started to pull her towards him. She tilted her head upwards and met the soft kiss he placed gently on her lips. "I love you Aeris," he whispered.

* * *

"No." Tears ran down Celes' face as she watched Locke first gently kiss Aeris, and then the two become more passionate. She turned away, slowly, when she saw the new "couple" ask the Innkeeper for a room, and let the curtain fall. She started to walk lightly, almost as if she were in a trance, away from the Inn, and was startled when something roughly slammed into her from the side. Her warrior instincts kicked in, and she spun around, Ragnarök ready.

"Celes, me sorry." Gau picked himself up from the ground and brushed the dirt off of the Sabin-style Karate robe he had taken to wearing recently. Relm, Yuffie, and Nanaki were standing nearby. The three young teenagers and young "RedCat", as Gau called Nanaki's species, were playing a game of tag when Gau had accidentally bumped into the entranced Celes. He gave her a sad, puppy dog look. "Celes angry…me?"

"No Gau, I'm not mad at you. I'm just…"

"Ooowaauuu! Celes not mad!" Gau jumped up into Celes arms in his excitement.

"GAU, ENOUGH!" Enraged, Celes threw the wild boy from the Veldt across Cosmo Canyon, him skidding to a stop right before the Cosmo Candle. Terra and Edgar, and Cloud and Tifa got up, alarmed. Gau started screaming as Yuffie, Relm and Nanaki ran over to their injured friend.

"WAAAAAAAA!! CELES, WHY YOU DO!?" Gau wailed.

"Celes, what's wrong with you!" Terra yelled. She had never seen Celes do anything like this before, especially not to an innocent kid like Gau.

"You wouldn't understand, you with your perfect husband and perfect children and perfect god-damn kingdom, QUEEN TERRA FIGARO!! Celes shouted back.

Terra ran to her friend and grabbed Celes firmly by the arm. "Celes, please, you're not like this. I'm your best friend, please tell me what's wrong."

Celes roughly shook her off. "Just leave me alone! Can't the whole world just leave me alone?!" Celes didn't want anyone, not even Terra, to see the tears flooding her eyes. She ran out of town as fast as she could.

"Celes, wait!" Terra called after her.

Edgar put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Terra, dear, I was talking to Locke earlier today. Something bad is going on between those two, so I think it would be best if we let Celes have some time to herself, to think things through."

"I guess you're right." Terra sighed.

* * *

High above Cosmo Canyon, two sharp green eyes watched the commotion below, how Celes threw Gau across the town, and then ran out of the canyon, into the desert wilderness. Sephiroth shook his head, and started to climb down the stairs to the canyon floor.

* * *

Celes ran though the desert night, kicking up sand with her long strides as she raced through the arid wilderness. She ran, not knowing why exactly, just running, an urge to get away from Cosmo Canyon, away from her friends, away from everyone, surging through her being. She needed to be alone, to escape from the reality of her life.

Finally, exhaustion took over, and her weary form collapsed beside a desert boulder. A startled Cactaur scooted from the other side of the boulder, the little cactus-like creature alarmed by Celes' unexpected invasion of its territory. Celes watched the Cactaur's startled dash away from her. "Look at him run, just like…like… oh Locke, how could you?! How could you do this to me? To us?" she cried her frustration to the desert's unanswering vastness. "What about us? Why, Locke, why? Am I too strong, is that why you've been so distant? Is it me? Am I not good enough for you? Why Locke?" she lifted her head, gazing up at the stars as though searching the night sky for answers, and was surprised to find herself looking at a familiar view. Despite the centuries that had past since her time, despite all the changes the Planet had been through, the sky had not changed. It was still the same sky; with the same familiar constellations gazing with sparking diamond eyes back at her. She recognized the Great Dragon, the Swan, the Dolphin, all her favourites. They were all there, unchanged, eternal. "Some things will never change, some things are constant." Celes realized, "but some things aren't. Locke, I did care for you. You were perhaps the best, truest friend I ever had, but … it wasn't meant to be anything but friendship. I was mistaken in thinking that you would ever stop loving Rachel…we never did have many things in common, did we? I can't be the damsel you want me to be; it's just not me. I have to be involved; I can't just sit back and wait to be rescued. Maybe you'll be happier with Aeris. Maybe she's more like Rachel, more like the kind of woman you need." Celes told the stars, hoping that somehow, Locke would hear her. "Locke, good luck."

Celes smiled. She felt so free, like a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She stood up, and withdrew Ragnarök from its scabbard, holding the sword in her hands, admiring the silver blade shining in the starlight. She swung the sword skillfully above her head, then down to the ground, and with its tip, wrote her name in the sandy ground. "I am Celes Chere," she told herself, "a defender of the Planet. I am a warrior, the Sword is my life. I am a Magic Knight, and I am proud of it!" Completing her ritual of self-discovery, she sheathed the sword, and turned back towards Cosmo Canyon. She started to walk back to the desert town when she heard a soft growl behind her. Celes stopped. The growl became a roar.

Quickly, she withdrew Ragnarök and spun around, sparks flying as her sword met the claws of her attacker with a metallic clank. She spun back, crouching into a defense position, her sword held in front of her, as she beheld her enemy. A huge monster, a beast called a Behemoth, reared back on its hind legs, towering 15 feet above the warrior. The monster had smelled the human girl from its desert lair and had come for a quick and easy meal. Celes was determined not to give it one.

The Behemoth glared at Celes through feral red eyes, and roared its challenge, slamming back on all fours, trying to knock its two-legged prey off her balance. Celes jumped up, avoiding its slam, and rushed towards the beast, her sword flashing, aiming for its legs. It swiped at her with its claws, nicking her arm as she spun with a warrior's grace away from its attack. Her blade slashed across its flank, leaving a shallow line of red, causing the Behemoth, unused to its prey fighting back, to roar in anger, and swipe out with its paw. Celes was slammed hard to the ground, and quickly rolled out of the way as the beast slammed down to crush her. She gasped for breath, jumping to her feet as the monster snapped its jaws, trying to bite her legs. It sunk its fangs into her shin, pulling her to the ground. Celes cried out in pain, and swung her sword, smacking the beast with the flat side aside the head. It roared and let go, and she staggered back, limping, favouring her uninjured leg. The Behemoth, sensing her injury, knew its prey was weak, and reared back, its eyes shining blood red as it prepared its ultimate attack. Celes recognized that the monster was casting a spell, and stood her ground, holding Ragnarök ready. The Behemoth howled, its feral cry seeming to reach up to space, calling down the destructive force of Infinity as smothering balls of fire appeared in the sky, the stars themselves seeming to fall with the devastating power of the dreaded black magic, Meteor! Celes' eyes narrowed, and she braced herself, holding her sword out and whispering "Runic Blade."

Meteor screamed towards Celes, she felt the heat of the fiery space rocks, and jolted with the impact of the first rock slamming into Ragnarök, followed by hundreds, thousands of others! The impacts were jarring her to the very core, but Celes held her ground. Slowly, a black light started emulating from Ragnarök, sucking the meteors in an ebony whirlwind, a blizzard of fire and darkness. Celes screamed as Runic absorbed the magic energy; screaming in triumph as its energy was now hers. As the last rock was sucked in, she eyed the weakened Behemoth, her eyes glowing blue with her energy. "Look for your meals elsewhere," she hissed. She raised Ragnarök high, and spun around, spinning faster and faster, then, throwing the sword with all her might. "SPIN EDGE FLARE!!" Ragnarök flew like a boomerang from her hands, and buzz-sawed deep into the flesh of the beast. It shrieked in agony as the blade cut into its heart, then flashed with a great red light, incinerating the creature with the power of the ultimate fire spell, Flare! It let out one last roar before it exploded in a fiery starburst of power!

Celes gasped for breath, and knelt down on one knee, battered and bruised, her injured leg lying limply on the desert floor. "Thought you could beat me?" she panted.

"Lie still." She unexpectedly heard a soft, familiar voice say. A soft white light surrounded Celes, closing her cuts and mending her bruises – the Cure spell. Now healed, Celes looked up.

"Sephiroth?" She took his offered hand and was pulled to her feet.

"Celes…you were wonderful! To see you fight was like…like…" Celes gazed into Sephiroth's eyes. Gone was the cold, hard warrior. His eyes were friendly, open, and … admiring?

"Sephiroth…I don't understand. You were here, watching me, and you didn't help with the beast?"

"I didn't help because I didn't need to. I knew you could defend yourself; you didn't need to be rescued." he smiled.

Celes smiled. He considered her an equal, a fellow warrior. He said exactly what she needed to hear, like somehow, she knew he would.

The two warriors gazed at each other silently, they slowly moved together, and said with their lips what they had wanted to say to each other all night. That they had finally found their soulmates. That they had, at last, found true love.

It truly was, a night to remember.

_Finis_


End file.
